Asriel's Adventures: Staff of Sombus
by SansSerifSegoe
Summary: When a old tome reveals information about the location of a staff crafted for a dead god, Asriel and Karen set off in search of the treasure in an attempt to clear the name of Asriel's Grandfather, Rayburn.
1. Prologue

Long ago, when the world had just been born, the Humans and Monsters were watched over by the Gods, who tended to the suns and moons, and helped the crops grow. Nothing seemed like it could go wrong. But over time, the humans began to argue over which God was the most important; Abris, the God of The Sun, who would bring light and energy to the earth to grow crops; Iona, Goddess of the Moon, who would bring peaceful slumber to the people; Gaea, Goddess of the Earth, who created all life; Uldona, God of the Weather, who created the conditions of living during the seasons; and finally, Sombus, the Guardian Deity of Monsters. The lesser Gods, Typhos, God of Peace, and Miphos, God of Law, began to worry that the future of the two bickering races would create new Gods; Gods of Death, Destruction, Disease, and War. These Gods would end up destroying the very world they had created. Sombus was especially worried, as his people were made up entirely of Magical Energy. If war was to break out between the Humans and Monsters, the Monsters would surely be the first to die, and then who would remember him? Sombus was not a violent god, and was considered by many as a pacifist. This was what ultimately led to his downfall. In an attempt to quell the fighting, he crossed over into the Mortal Realm, disguised as an old prophet in an attempt to reason with the people on Earth. But none would listen. They called Sombus crazy, and beat his body down with stones and clubs. Having taken the form of a human and renouncing his powers, Sombus was killed. This angered the Gods, and many of the Humans and Monsters suffered or died at the hands of their wrath. Those that survived felt guilt and remorse for what had happened to Sombus and buried his body at the heart of a great mountain. With the power of magic, seven wizards from each race crafted a staff that contained Sombus' power and authority over Monsters. The Monsters worried that, if put into the wrong hands, the staff would bring ruin to the Monster Race. So, they placed an enchantment upon the mountain and the surrounding forest, barring the way to the Staff from anyone who dared to seek after it. The forest consumed many victims with its ensnaring fog; one wrong turn, and you'd return to the beginning, with no memory of any previous attempts. If one managed to pass the fog, a door would appear at the base of the mountain, bathed in a blue light. Legends hold that only a worthy successor of Sombus would be able to open the door and take the staff for their own. But none have succeeded.

"I aim to be the first, Chara!" said Asriel, closing the book and placing it upon the shelf over his bed. Chara laughed, and rolled over to face her adopted brother.

"Asriel, you know that's just a story, right? That stuff happened, like, a couple millennia ago? If something like that _did_ exist, it's probably crumbled to dust by now." She joked, before Asriel jumped over to his sister's bed.

"What if it is real, though! That staff could be there! Do you know how much power is in that thing?!" gawked Asriel. "A power fit for a god! Right in the palm of my hand!"

"Yeah, your tiny, little paws wouldn't even be able to lift that thing, let alone find it. I bet you don't even know what mountain its hidden in." chided Chara, pushing Asriel off of her.

"I'm going to find it, Chara! Someday, when we get out of this Underground jail, I'm going to go on an adventure with you, and we'll-" started Asriel, before the door to their bedroom opened. Toriel's head poked in, her face confused, but not quite angry.

"My children, you're both supposed to be sleeping." She said.

"I _was_ sleeping… until Fluffbutt over here got excited over some silly story." Grunted Chara, pulling the covers over her head and flipping Asriel to the floor. Asriel rubbed his head and began scrambling back to his bed. Toriel stepped into the room and tucked Asriel into his covers.

"What story were you reading, my child?" asked Toriel, looking now to the shelf.

"The Fate of Sombus." Replied Asriel. "Dad said I should learn about some history, and he suggested I start with this one."

"Of course, he would. That was his favorite story when he was your age. Back when… Grandpa Jorin was still around." Smiled Toriel, just barely stopping herself from mentioning Aberon.

"Mom…? Do you think the staff exists?" asked Asriel.

"I know it does! My Father managed to traverse the fog and made it to the mountain… but the door wouldn't open for him. When he told the people in Monstrum, our old Capital City on the surface about his discovery, everyone called him a fake. A liar. A loony." Said Toriel. "But I believed him. He'd found so many artifacts before that I had to believe him. But when you find something like that, even when no one believes you, there's always the one person who does and stabs them in the back."

"No…! He didn't…!" moaned Asriel.

"Yes… he was approached by a monster who told him to lead him through the fog. But my father refused, and… well, he knifed him." Sighed Toriel. "I was only five years old."

"Mom… You never told me that happened to Grandpa Rayburn!" whimpered Asriel.

"Oh, my child, don't cry! Oh… c-come here, Azzy." Smiled Toriel comfortingly, wrapping her son in a hug. "I think that's enough story time for tonight."

"Ya' think?" Grunted Chara under her covers, causing Toriel to turn.

"Yes, I do, Chara." She said, hiding behind her smile a slight twinge of annoyance. "Good night, my children."

"Good night, Mom!" echoed the children, as Toriel left the room. After a few minutes, Chara rolled over and groaned. Asriel heard it, and cracked an eye open.

"I know that groan. What's wrong, Chara?" asked Asriel.

"How long are we going to be stuck down here, Azzy? It feels like years since I fell down here!" exclaimed Chara. "I've done literally everything I could think of!"

"Chara, it's only been a few months! Trust me, we'll find a way to the surface! And when we do, we're going to find that staff and clear Grandpa Rayburn's name." grinned Asriel, a determined look upon his face.

"Yeah, well, unless you got a few Human Souls lying around, we're not budging." Said Chara.

"Chara? What are you implying?"

"Never mind it, Azzy. I'll see you in the morning, okay?" beamed Chara.

"A-Alright, Chara… g'night, ya weirdo." Chuckled Asriel, rolling over.


	2. Infiltrating the System and The Fight

"So, Asriel… What's our next move?" asked Karen. "We can't just let those arseholes get away!"

"Why do you think I'm trying to hotwire one of their cars, huh?!" Asriel shot back, as sparks flew from underneath the steering wheel. "Getting out of here was my first priority, but now Jorski's got the treasure that _we_ were after _again_ , and if it gets into the wrong hands, people will get hurt!" As soon as Asriel finished talking, the engine sputtered to life.

"And let's not forget that you're the one who knocked out the driver." Continued Asriel. "Where'd you stash the guy, anyway?"

"Doesn't matter. Besides, you're the one who agreed to take the stealthy approach!" grunted Karen. "Thankfully, Jorski's not left yet."

"What?! He's still here?! Why are we doing this?!" growled Asriel.

"So that when he does get out of here, we can blend in with his convoy, catch him, take the treasure, and the bounty that's on his head. I'm all for a little money, aren't you?!" asked Karen.

"All I care about is making sure that that _thief_ gets what's coming to him. And besides, won't he recognize us?" said Asriel, as Karen pulled a set of black leather uniforms from her bag, as well as a black biker helmet.

"You're so lucky I think ahead." Grinned Karen.

"Karen, where'd you get those?" asked Asriel, nervous now.

"Two of Jorski's henchmen. Did a bit of sleeping magic on them, and they're out like lights. They'll be out for a few hours." Explained Karen, slipping out of her clothes and into the uniform. Asriel whistled his approval.

"Damn, you look good in black." Smiled Asriel.

"Yeah, well, you'll be wearing red if we're caught, so start changing!" urged Karen. Asriel grabbed the uniform off the driver's seat of the car and began changing. As he put the helmet on, he tucked his ears inside, and slipped the visor down.

"This'd better work, Karen." Said Asriel, his voice muffled by the helmet.

"When have my plans not worked?" asked Karen with a sly smile, tying a black bandana around her face. At that moment, voices could be heard coming down the corridor of the facility.

"They're coming! Don't speak unless spoken to." Hissed Karen, jumping into the passenger seat. Asriel shut the door to the car, and waited for Jorski and his men to pass him. Jorski stopped at the car, and looked right at Asriel.

"You still wearing that helmet, eh, Gabriel?" he asked. Asriel nodded.

"Well, I won't question you for your reasons, but that injury you sustained to your eye hasn't made you any less handsome. Let's get a move on before that Asriel prick has a chance to find us, eh?" laughed Jorski. Asriel gripped the wheel tightly as Jorski entered the back of the truck in front of them.

"Breathe, Azzy. Breathe. You'll blow our cover if you lose your temper." Whispered Karen. Asriel's grip on the wheel loosened, and he exhaled.

"You're right. I can't let him know it's me. Not until we have the treasure." He whispered back. "You've got the Flare Whip, right?"

"Yeah, I grabbed it when we escaped the gas chamber." Said Karen. "By the way, how's your head? You said it was hurting when we left."

"It's fine. Vision's still a little blurry, but it's getting better." Replied Asriel. "Let's nail this guy on the road."

"How you wanna do it? Pop his tires? Run him off the road?" asked Karen.

"We'll figure that out once we make some headway." Said Asriel, as the trucks in front of him began to move out onto the road. After about twenty minutes of driving, Jorski pulled a steel suitcase into his lap and opened it.

"Oh, shite, is that it?" asked Karen, as Jorski lifted a small crystal statue from the case. It resembled a monkey, and had emeralds for eyes.

"Yep… that's it, alright." Replied Asriel. "That thing is what made all the animals turn feral back in the village… including you-know-who."

"We're going back for him, right?" asked Karen.

"Of course, we are! No way I'd leave behind that little furball; he's practically family!" nodded Asriel, remembering how Pepper had attacked them back in the village, and how heartbroken Karen was when she had to leave him behind in a cage.

"What if he stays that way? He's my baby, Azzy, I can't leave him behind!" exclaimed Karen.

"We've just got to remove the eyes on the statue, and everything will return to normal. We'll get him back. The fact that he infected Pepper with that crystal monkey made this personal." Said Asriel, as the convoy stopped outside of an old abandoned warehouse.

"Okay, now what? This wasn't where we were supposed to stop." Asked Asriel.

"Um… gimme a minute." Said Karen.

"Everyone out! Form a line!" called Jorski.

"Aw, shit, he knows." Whispered Asriel, stepping out of the vehicle.

"Keep calm, Gabriel. It could just be an inspection." Said Karen, hiding her accent and Asriel's identity as they joined the line. Jorski paced up and down the line of ten soldiers, a gun in his left hand, the steel case in his right.

"Don't do anything stupid." Whispered Asriel.

"Alright, y'all… Now… I don't know if y'all were aware, but we left the compound with two people in a gas chamber… uh, a prince… and an Irish girl… I just got a call over the radio… Gas chamber's empty, and the kid's little whip is gone. Now, I'm a very forgiving man, but the one thing I do not tolerate among my forces is failure." Said Jorski, his southern drawl making his raspy voice the most imposing thing about him. "Now… who was in charge of makin' sure that those brats didn't escape?"

The whole line of soldiers stayed silent. At the far right end of the line, one of the soldiers gulped. Jorski turned at the sound, and went over to the soldier.

"Perhaps you know who it was, Wincester?" he asked.

"N-No, sir. It-It's just… y-you're making me nervous w-with that g-gun in your hand." Said Wincester.

"Uh-huh… Well, perhaps you can give me some inkling as to who among us was here ahead of schedule…?" asked Jorski, causing Karen's breath to catch in her throat. She stiffened.

"N-No, sir. I was only with you at your meeting." Said Wincester.

"Hm… well… that's just a right shame, now, isn't it?" smiled Jorski, before shooting Wincester in the head. Every soldier in the line flinched as Wincester's body slid back against the side of the truck and fell to the ground. Karen did her best not to scream.

"Now… unless one o' y'all steps up and admits to their mistake, I'm gonna go down the line and shoot every single one of ya'!" shrieked Jorski. Out of fear, Karen grabbed ahold of Asriel's arm. Quickly, Asriel shook it off, but not quickly enough. Jorski moved down the line towards them.

"Katherine? Do I sense some fear in you?" he asked.

"N-No, sir!" replied Karen, her accent completely hidden.

"I remember you were near the gas chamber when we left for my meeting. And you didn't follow us." Said Jorski.

"I-I was ordered to guard the chamber from the outside!" replied Karen shakily.

"So you let them out, then?" asked Jorski.

"N-No, sir! I didn't let them out! L-Last I saw, they were still there!" Karen insisted, before she was pulled away from the line by two soldiers. Karen struggled against them, but was quickly pacified.

"It had to have been you. How else would they have gotten out?" asked Jorski.

"I swear I didn't! J-Jasper was the one who relieved me of my post! He's back at the compound!" Karen insisted, tears beginning to fall from her eyes

"Of course, he is…" smiled Jorski, pointing the gun at her head. Just as Jorski was about to pull the trigger, a blue aura surrounded the gun and yanked it upwards out of Jorski's hand. The shot reverberated out into the night sky, and as Jorski watched, the gun flew out onto the concrete with a force so hard, it broke into pieces.

"What the hell was that?! Which one of you did-" started Jorski, before he saw, to his horror, that the soldiers all had their guns pointed at him. A purple cloud hung over each of their heads, and their eyes were glazed over… all except one.

"Surrender the case, and the girl, and I promise you they won't shoot." Said Asriel, removing his helmet. Jorski began to step back.

"N-Now, hold on a moment, Asriel! My men still have her in their hands, and with a snap o' my fingers, they'll snap her neck." Grinned Jorski.

"You really want to test that?" asked Asriel. Jorski grinned, and snapped his fingers. Jorski's men moved forward and grabbed him by the head.

"What in the hell?!" gasped Jorski, as he saw that purple clouds were hanging over their heads as well.

"Case… Now… before they snap your neck." Grunted Asriel flatly. Jorski struggled to breathe as he stretched his arm out to Asriel, case in hand. Asriel took the case, opened it, and removed the emeralds from the statue's eyesockets.

"So, now what, prince? You gonna kill me?" asked Jorski.

"Who, me? Nah, nah… I don't kill people." Smiled Asriel. Jorski grinned hopefully.

"Now… other people…?" smirked Asriel, snapping his fingers. Jorski's men wrapped their arms around Jorski's neck and twisted. Jorski fell to the ground, his neck bent at an odd angle. Karen screamed in horror. Asriel moved to her side.

"I'm sorry you had to see that-" he started, before Karen pushed him away.

"What the ever-loving _fuck_ , Asriel?!" she screamed. "You said we were going to take him alive!"

"Yeah, well, plans change, alright?! He was going to shoot you, I had to do something!" replied Asriel.

"You promised me that Aberon would be the last life you took!" shrieked Karen.

"I know I did! I know, I know! But you blew our cover and had a gun to your head! What _else_ was I supposed to do?!" Asriel shot back, growing angry now.

"Oh, I don't know, maybe _restrain him and take him to the police?!_ What you just did was something _Flowey_ would do!" growled Karen.

"Would you rather I'd just let him shoot you?! I just saved your fucking life!" screamed Asriel.

"By taking someone else's!" Karen shot back.

" _And what difference does it make?! The man was a criminal with the death penalty on his head! They were gonna kill him, anyway!"_ argued Asriel. Karen glared at Asriel with furious contempt.

"At least then, it would have been civilized." She said.

"Look, what do you _want_ from me?!" asked Asriel. "Ever since we left on this adventure, we've been shot at, thrown into a gas chamber, eaten alive by bugs, and countless other things! You may be the brains where I fall short, alright, but where survival is concerned, I've got the long end of the stick!"

"So you're my bodyguard, then? Is that it?" asked Karen. "Well, where's my boyfriend, huh? The one that I know and love who would do the rational thing, instead of committing _cold-blooded_ _ **murder!**_ _"_

"Well, when you're the one who always gets caught, someone has to be!" growled Asriel.

"Oh, _I'm the one who gets caught?!_ "

"If you hadn't grabbed my arm, he wouldn't have singled you out!" shouted Asriel. "And think about this! If you hadn't been worrying about Pepper back in Paradise when I found the Flare Whip-"

"Oh, ho, ho, no, don't you _dare_ go pawning that shit on me! If you hadn't pulled the thing in the first place, that cavern wouldn't have collapsed and-"

"We wouldn't have gotten to the Paragon." Grunted Asriel, crossing his arms. "Sans would be dead, I would have died in Aberon's body, Asgore would be dead, Frisk would be dead, and so would _you._ "

The two glared at each other for a few moments, before Karen raised her hands in defeat.

"Alright… Alright… fine… Blame it all on me. That's all you ever do; just take the consequences of your own actions and shift them onto someone else." She said, lifting Jorski's body over her shoulder. "We're going back to the police, dropping off his body, and that'll be it. Nothing more between us."

"Wait, Karen! What do you mean?!" asked Asriel, concerned.

"I mean that after we finish this job… I'm out. You can keep the bounty." Replied Karen, popping the trunk of the car and dropping the body in unceremoniously.

"No, Karen…! Wait! I-" started Asriel, grabbing for her hand. Karen pulled back and slapped Asriel across the face, knocking him to the ground. She glared down at him as he held his face.

"We've been on a lot of adventures, Asriel, but this? This is the first I've seen you murder someone. Is this the real you? Because if it is, I want nothing to do with it." She hissed.

"Karen, I'm sorry, alright?! I was just caught up in the moment! I wasn't thinking and-" started Asriel.

" _You always say that!_ You always say you're sorry, and yet you always make the same mistakes!" shouted Karen.

"I've done well not to murder anyone since Paradise, alright?! This is the _first time_ I've made this mistake since then, Karen! Cut me some slack!" begged Asriel.

"Just… urgh…! Fuck it… Let's just get this shit done and over with, alright?" growled Karen, getting into the car.

"What about Jorski's men?" asked Asriel.

"Just fucking leave them!" screamed Karen.

Asriel looked around at the group of soldiers before climbing into the driver's seat. The car sped off into the night, and as it did, the soldiers collapsed on the concrete.

Long ago, when the world had just been born, the Humans and Monsters were watched over by the Gods, who tended to the suns and moons, and helped the crops grow. Nothing seemed like it could go wrong. But over time, the humans began to argue over which God was the most important; Abris, the God of The Sun, who would bring light and energy to the earth to grow crops; Iona, Goddess of the Moon, who would bring peaceful slumber to the people; Gaea, Goddess of the Earth, who created all life; Uldona, God of the Weather, who created the conditions of living during the seasons; and finally, Sombus, the Guardian Deity of Monsters. The lesser Gods, Typhos, God of Peace, and Miphos, God of Law, began to worry that the future of the two bickering races would create new Gods; Gods of Death, Destruction, Disease, and War. These Gods would end up destroying the very world they had created. Sombus was especially worried, as his people were made up entirely of Magical Energy. If war was to break out between the Humans and Monsters, the Monsters would surely be the first to die, and then who would remember him? Sombus was not a violent god, and was considered by many as a pacifist. This was what ultimately led to his downfall. In an attempt to quell the fighting, he crossed over into the Mortal Realm, disguised as an old prophet in an attempt to reason with the people on Earth. But none would listen. They called Sombus crazy, and beat his body down with stones and clubs. Having taken the form of a human and renouncing his powers, Sombus was killed. This angered the Gods, and many of the Humans and Monsters suffered or died at the hands of their wrath. Those that survived felt guilt and remorse for what had happened to Sombus and buried his body at the heart of a great mountain. With the power of magic, seven wizards from each race crafted a staff that contained Sombus' power and authority over Monsters. The Monsters worried that, if put into the wrong hands, the staff would bring ruin to the Monster Race. So, they placed an enchantment upon the mountain and the surrounding forest, barring the way to the Staff from anyone who dared to seek after it. The forest consumed many victims with its ensnaring fog; one wrong turn, and you'd return to the beginning, with no memory of any previous attempts. If one managed to pass the fog, a door would appear at the base of the mountain, bathed in a blue light. Legends hold that only a worthy successor of Sombus would be able to open the door and take the staff for their own. But none have succeeded.

"I aim to be the first, Chara!" said Asriel, closing the book and placing it upon the shelf over his bed. Chara laughed, and rolled over to face her adopted brother.

"Asriel, you know that's just a story, right? That stuff happened, like, a couple millennia ago? If something like that _did_ exist, it's probably crumbled to dust by now." She joked, before Asriel jumped over to his sister's bed.

"What if it is real, though! That staff could be there! Do you know how much power is in that thing?!" gawked Asriel. "A power fit for a god! Right in the palm of my hand!"

"Yeah, your tiny, little paws wouldn't even be able to lift that thing, let alone find it. I bet you don't even know what mountain its hidden in." chided Chara, pushing Asriel off of her.

"I'm going to find it, Chara! Someday, when we get out of this Underground jail, I'm going to go on an adventure with you, and we'll-" started Asriel, before the door to their bedroom opened. Toriel's head poked in, her face confused, but not quite angry.

"My children, you're both supposed to be sleeping." She said.

"I _was_ sleeping… until Fluffbutt over here got excited over some silly story." Grunted Chara, pulling the covers over her head and flipping Asriel to the floor. Asriel rubbed his head and began scrambling back to his bed. Toriel stepped into the room and tucked Asriel into his covers.

"What story were you reading, my child?" asked Toriel, looking now to the shelf.

"The Fate of Sombus." Replied Asriel. "Dad said I should learn about some history, and he suggested I start with this one."

"Of course, he would. That was his favorite story when he was your age. Back when… Grandpa Jorin was still around." Smiled Toriel, just barely stopping herself from mentioning Aberon.

"Mom…? Do you think the staff exists?" asked Asriel.

"I know it does! My Father managed to traverse the fog and made it to the mountain… but the door wouldn't open for him. When he told the people in Monstrum, our old Capital City on the surface about his discovery, everyone called him a fake. A liar. A loony." Said Toriel. "But I believed him. He'd found so many artifacts before that I had to believe him. But when you find something like that, even when no one believes you, there's always the one person who does and stabs them in the back."

"No…! He didn't…!" moaned Asriel.

"Yes… he was approached by a monster who told him to lead him through the fog. But my father refused, and… well, he knifed him." Sighed Toriel. "I was only five years old."

"Mom… You never told me that happened to Grandpa Rayburn!" whimpered Asriel.

"Oh, my child, don't cry! Oh… c-come here, Azzy." Smiled Toriel comfortingly, wrapping her son in a hug. "I think that's enough story time for tonight."

"Ya' think?" Grunted Chara under her covers, causing Toriel to turn.

"Yes, I do, Chara." She said, hiding behind her smile a slight twinge of annoyance. "Good night, my children."

"Good night, Mom!" echoed the children, as Toriel left the room. After a few minutes, Chara rolled over and groaned. Asriel heard it, and cracked an eye open.

"I know that groan. What's wrong, Chara?" asked Asriel.

"How long are we going to be stuck down here, Azzy? It feels like years since I fell down here!" exclaimed Chara. "I've done literally everything I could think of!"

"Chara, it's only been a few months! Trust me, we'll find a way to the surface! And when we do, we're going to find that staff and clear Grandpa Rayburn's name." grinned Asriel, a determined look upon his face.

"Yeah, well, unless you got a few Human Souls lying around, we're not budging." Said Chara.

"Chara? What are you implying?"

"Never mind it, Azzy. I'll see you in the morning, okay?" beamed Chara.

"A-Alright, Chara… g'night, ya weirdo." Chuckled Asriel, rolling over.


	3. The Make-up and Tome of Sombus

The drive was silent, save for the crackle of the radio attempting to get a clear signal. Karen stared at the floor of the car, and Asriel looked over at her from time to time. She wouldn't look back. He knew that he'd screwed up big time, and if he didn't make up for it the next morning, she'd be gone.

As Asriel pulled in to the police station, he cleared his throat.

"Not a word, Asriel." Said Karen. Asriel made a small noise of acknowledgement and went into the police station. He told the officers what had happened, and they followed him out to the car to make sure it was him. Once all the paperwork had been filed and the bounty distributed, the two sped off into the night once more. They stopped at a small roadside motel and rented separate rooms. Once he was alone and settled in, Asriel called his sister.

"Hey… Asriel… what's going on? It's like the middle of the night." Groaned Frisk.

"F-Frisk…? I need your help…" said Asriel, his voice trembling.

"Asriel…? Are you okay? You sound really sad." Asked Frisk.

"I screwed up… I screwed up big time, and I don't even know what to do…!" gasped Asriel. "Everything's going wrong, and I…"

"Whoa, bro, calm down. Bring it back a few… Tell me what happened." Said Frisk, moving downstairs to the kitchen.

"Okay, so… uh… you know that crime lord? Gregoro Jorski? The one we were chasing to get that Crystal Monkey statue?" asked Asriel. "Well… uh… we got him."

"Oh, you killed him, didn't you? What have I been telling you about-"

" _ **I KNOW!**_ " blasted Asriel. "Okay? I know. But the guy had a gun to Karen's head, and I panicked. I did the first thing that came to my head without thinking it through."

"Well… what did you do?" asked Frisk, taking a sip of milk.

"I took control of his men, and… and I made them snap his neck." Said Asriel slowly.

"Yee… A bit excessive, but I likely would have done the same if I knew how to do that." Replied Frisk. "How did Karen react? Is she alright?"

"She's alive, but she's not on good terms with me. We had a fight, and… I blamed all my problems on her."

"Asriel… God…" moaned Frisk in disbelief.

"I don't know what to do, Frisk! If I don't find a way to make it up to her by tomorrow, then our relationship is…" cried Asriel.

"Wait, she didn't really break up with you, did she?" asked Frisk.

"Well, not… yet? But… I don't…"

"Asriel, I want you to listen to me, and I want you to listen good. I've been in your situation before, and there have been two instances where Sans and I came close to… well… you know, you were there for one of 'em." Said Frisk. "Couples fight all the time, and they say things that they don't mean when they're angry or scared. But if you guys were to sit down and talk about it-"

"That's just it! She doesn't want to talk to me! She won't even answer the door to her room!" replied Asriel.

"She's just hurt. Whatever you said, it must have hit her pretty hard. I think that it's just best for you to wait till morning. If you want, I can call her and-" said Frisk.

"No… I… I'll wait." Said Asriel.

"You're sure?" asked Frisk.

"I'll manage." Sighed Asriel, hanging up the phone.

* * *

The next morning, Karen awoke, drowsy, but still angry. She stepped into the shower, cleaned up, and got dressed. Picking up her cut of the bounty off the table, she stepped out of the door onto the second floor of the hotel and saw Asriel, sitting next to her door, shivering.

"Were you out here all night?" asked Karen, annoyed.

"N-No… just most of it." Chattered Asriel.

"Why?" she grunted.

"B-because… w-well, t-two reasons. One… I d-didn't have a k-key to your room… and t-two… I… c-couldn't s-sleep in my b-bed." Replied Asriel. "I w-was… t-too worried… ab-bout you…"

"Azzy, after what you did, do you really think that staying outside my room the entire night will make it _any_ better?" asked Karen.

"N-No… b-but it was the o-only thing… that I c-could think of…" replied Asriel. "B-Besides… After th-the way I tr-treated you… I w-wanted to try and m-make it up to you."

"Fat fucking chance. What could you do?" grunted Karen.

"W-well… f-for starters… you could take th-this." Said Asriel, pulling a wad of Benjamins from his jacket pocket.

"What's this?" asked Karen.

"It's m-my cut of the bounty… I don't really need it or deserve it." Replied Asriel.

"Asriel-"

"Look, before you start laying into me about how giving you money isn't going to fix this, I want to say how wrong I was to say what I did last night." Said Asriel, standing up and pushing past Karen into the room, sitting on her bed. "You had every right to be mad at me for what I did, because I swore a vow to never kill another person… and I broke it… I can accept the fact that you were mad at me for that. But what I said to you after… The only reason you're ever in any danger is because I drag you into it. I dragged you into these adventures because I can't stand being apart from you."

"Asriel…" started Karen.

"And yet, for all that we do, you're still the one that gets caught or injured because of me. When I saw him point that gun at you, I was terrified of losing you. I couldn't stand the thought of having to be the one to carry your body home… and tell your father that I let you die. If he had pulled that trigger a second earlier, he might as well have shot me, too." Cried Asriel.

"Asriel… I…" began Karen.

"Karen… I wouldn't have cared about the connection between my Soul and Frisk's. I wouldn't have cared if Mom and Dad had to go through losing me again. I wouldn't have even cared if I'd gotten killed… because… a life without you… it's a life that isn't worth living." Finished Asriel. "Now… you can hate me all you want because of what I did to Jorski… You can shout at me… hit me… do whatever you want to me… but please… _please…_ for the love of _God…_ _Please, don't go."_ Asriel's head slipped into his hands, as he began to weep. Karen stared down at Asriel for a good minute before she fell to her knees.

"Asriel… I… I didn't sleep… at all… because I was afraid… afraid that when I woke up the next morning… that you'd be gone… that you'd left me because of how cruel I'd been. Or worse… I'd come down to your room the next morning and… and… and find nothing but a pile of dust." Whimpered Karen, tears falling from her eyes. Asriel's eyes widened.

"Karen… that w-wouldn't have happened-" started Asriel.

"And what if it did?! How do you think I'd feel, knowing that I'd reacted the way I did, and you _killed_ yourself over it?! I-I wouldn't be able to live with that! Not after you saved my life!" wailed Karen. Asriel slipped off the bed and pulled her into a hug. Karen grasped at Asriel's chest tightly and buried her face into his furry neck.

"Hey…! Hey, no, no…! Now, don't you start crying on me… that's my job." Joked Asriel, tears falling from his own eyes.

"Almost seven years of being together, and I almost blew it because of an awful misunderstanding!" cried Karen. "I just want to go home… and forget that ever even happened."

"We can't leave yet. We still have to get Pepper back. Make sure he's back to normal, along with all the other animals in the village." Said Asriel.

"Oh, jeez… you're right! He's probably scared out of his wits, the poor baby." Replied Karen.

"I don't think he qualifies as a baby, anymore, Karen. He's as big as a housecat, now." Said Asriel, shaking his head.

"Oi, he's my baby, whether he grows up or not." Grunted Karen.

"I thought that position was already filled!" exclaimed Asriel.

"Well… yes… He's my little baby, and you're my murder baby." Smiled Karen. "Boop." Karen poked Asriel on the snout, and his tongue poked out the side. She snickered.

"Kawen…" moaned Asriel.

"Sorry, it never gets old… We good?" asked Karen.

"Yeah… we're good. So what do you want to do? Get breakfast?" smiled Asriel.

"I could go for some coffee and a pumpkin bagel… maybe a little bit of sugar, afterward…" smiled Karen seductively.

"Karen… It's not that I don't want to, but… we've got a job to finish." Said Asriel firmly. "We need to check up on the village and make sure that this statue is safe for the collection."

"…Ugh… fine… but at least promise me we'll have some fun when we get home." Asked Karen.

"I don't think that would be relevant to the story, Karen." Said Asriel.

"Azzy, I'll forgive you for killin' Jorski, but stop hurting the fourth wall. It doesn't deserve that kind of abuse." Said Karen.

"Or that kind of mental imagery." Grinned Asriel.

" _Azzy!"_ laughed Karen.

"Yeah, sure, we'll have some fun when we get back home, Karen. My treat." Promised Asriel, as the two of them left the room. They grabbed some coffee and a few muffins and headed back to Westwend, the village where the Crystal Monkey had been found. As they entered the marketplace of Westwend in the car, both Asriel and Karen noticed the dirty looks they were getting.

"Asriel, I think it's time we ditched the car." Said Karen.

"Yeah, it feels really hostile here." Said Asriel, pulling over. As Asriel and Karen stepped out of the car, the expressions of the villagers changed. They hurried over to Asriel and Karen, asking them if they'd gotten the Crystal Monkey back.

"Yeah! Yeah! We got it back! But I'm a little worried about leaving it unguarded again! You all saw what happened, right?!" Asriel said, concerned for the village's wellbeing.

"We know! We want you to take it back to the shrine! The only reason all the animals went crazy is because the brother was missing!" said one of the villagers.

"Are you sure it wasn't just the eyes?" asked Asriel. "There was a huge negative energy coming from the jewels, the same one I felt from the animals. Once I took them out of the monkey, that feeling just went away. I know this statue's a big part of the culture, but what if it's not animals next time, but people?! Would what happened with this statue also happen with the brother statue, but in reverse?"

"No! Not at all! Only affects animals of the one depicted!" said another villager. "But why remove the stones? They are what enhances the statue's power when paired with the brother!"

"Because they were causing the negative energy! When I return the statue, I'll return the eyes as well. I'm just concerned with leaving it here knowing that it's unguarded." Replied Asriel.

"We have guards now!" replied another villager. "I'm one of them!"

"Okay, good! Here, now, take this case back to the shrine, and replace the eyes. I need to speak with the village elder in regards to our pet and what we found out about the statue." Said Asriel, handing the case off to the guard, and moving towards a mud brick building. As he and Karen stepped inside, they saw Pepper gnawing on the bars of his cage, his eyes still a bloodshot red. Just the way they left him.

"Are you kidding me?" breathed Asriel. "What's going on, Fafi? Why hasn't Pepper changed back?"

"Have you returned the statue to the shrine?" asked Fafi, the village elder.

"No, but I removed the eyes! Just like you told me to do when I found the statue." Replied Asriel, confused.

"Well… I have been wrong, before… Perhaps the statue simply needed to be returned to the shrine." Replied Fafi. "Or perhaps there is something more… ancient… that is causing this."

"Well, I only know what you've told me about this culture. So, until the statue is returned to the shrine, Pepper's stuck like this." Said Asriel.

"Afraid so, Mr. Dreemurr. I can only hope that the statue is what's causing this." Said Fafi.

"And if it isn't…?" asked Karen. Fafi pulled a knife from her belt.

"…Purge the ones affected before it spreads any further?" said Fafi unsurely. "Meat is meat, after all."

"Don't you think that eating diseased meat would only make a disease spread further?" asked Asriel.

"Perhaps, but…" started Fafi, before Pepper fell flat against the bottom of his cage. He began wiggling his butt playfully and his tail flipped in every which direction.

"Azzy? Can I come out and play? This cage is really small!" asked Pepper, their eyes back to their regular blue.

"That thing can talk?!" exclaimed Fafi.

"It's a Grobzug, not a monkey. Though, same physiology, I guess." Replied Asriel, undoing the lock on the cage. "He _is_ a monster like me."

"Curious that it didn't affect you." Said Fafi.

"I'm not an animal. I'm bipedal." Replied Asriel, slightly offended.

"My apologies! I did not mean to offend!" gasped Fafi.

"It's fine. I'm just glad my little buddy's okay." Said Asriel, picking up Pepper and handing him to Karen.

"Pep! Oh, Pep! You're alright!" cried Karen, hugging Pepper tightly. Pepper hugged back, but somewhat confused.

"Of course, I am! What happened, Mum?" asked Pepper.

"You went nutty. But we figured it out. And now you're back to normal." Said Karen, kissing Pepper on the head.

"Well, I want to see the shrine! Can we go? …Who's this old lady?" asked Pepper.

"She's the one who took care of you while we were… 'handling' things." Said Karen, motioning towards Asriel with her eyes. "She's Fafi, the village elder."

"Oh! I'm sorry, ma'am! I hope I wasn't too much trouble; I don't remember much of what happened." Apologized Pepper.

"It is no problem. But, Asriel, we are so grateful for what you did for our village. If there is anything we can do to repay you, just let us know." Offered Fafi.

"Please, the pleasure's all mine. I'm just glad everything is as it was. The most I'd ask for is a souvenir at this point, something to remember you guys by. I have a bit of habit of collecting things I find on my journeys."

"Say no more. I know exactly what an adventurer like you needs." Said Fafi. "I'm not sure how familiar you are with the lore of our village, so I hope that you find this old tome to be enlightening."

Fafi pulled a book from the shelf behind her, about as thick as Asriel's arm.

"Are you familiar with the Old Gods?" asked Fafi.

"You mean the ones like Iona and Gaea? Where I come from, they're called the Keepers of Creation." Said Asriel.

"So you _are_ familiar with them. Well, we are one of the few settlements that originally worshipped Sombus." Said Fafi.

"Sombus? The Guardian Deity of Monsters? But you're all humans!" Asriel gasped, shocked.

"Not all settlements that worshipped Sombus were exclusively Monsters." Replied Fafi.

"So you know about the staff, then?" said Asriel.

"Know about it? My ancestor was one of the wizards who crafted it. This tome will tell you all you need to know about the staff, and more!" smiled Fafi. "You would find it most enlightening a read."

"Oh, I intend on reading about it! I was always fascinated by the Keepers as a child. Sombus, especially." Beamed Asriel. "Thank you!"

"I must warn you, boy, that knowledge this sacred is best kept private. So, do not let it fall into the wrong hands." Warned Fafi.

"You've got my word, Fafi." Nodded Asriel, placing the tome in his bag. As Asriel and Karen left the village elder's home, a pair of prying eyes followed them from atop one of the buildings through a pair of binoculars.

"They have it. My lucky day." Said the girl, as she looked back at the elder's home. Fafi was staring directly at her, and she fell back.

"And now _she_ knows who I am… welp… this village did need a new elder." Said the girl. "Time to do a little hunting."


End file.
